Ouroboros Spine kakitlannak ⧎

it was dark when she came to @Shikoba.

"bring mojag to my hearth. let him sleep there for this night."

moonwoman was almost fearsome. she wore dark blood upon her forehead and carried a bone and a small body, a rat taken from the field.

she would lead firsthunter away, all the way to firemother. and there she would set down her things.

"mother spirits," she said to the red tree and those who listened. "this woman shikoba comes before you. she is ready to sing the death songs for her husband."

her somber jade eyes turned to sivullik. "tear the flesh of your wrist with your teeth. bring blood up."

and her heart was heavy, to do this again.

screaming crying throwing up; slight PP of Mojag but can change as needed <3 

Moon Woman draws close, and when Shikoba sees her figure in the moonless night, she knows it is time. Tonight, she would have to sever her heart from the ties of Inutsuk after the songs and the ritual was complete. 

Shikoba would wake @Mojag and lead his sleepy body to the den of Kukutux, she even offered to carry the boy if his feet were too cumbersome. And now, she can only hope he will find comfort in the warmth of his cousins. The first hunter would give him a reassuring kiss and then set off behind her matriarch.

She hears the words, the plea for the audience of those who walk the ground unseen. Perhaps Shikoba knows them, or maybe she doesn't. These spirits are not from the desert. When instructed to do so, she does not hesitate to spill blood, as she has done in all her years of life.

The native does not cry nor flinch, she does as she is told with no remorse behind the scent of her own blood spilling. With the taste of iron freshly sitting against her tongue, she looks up to Kukutux, sulfurous eyes that once burned are now glazed over.

when it was done, kukutux dipped her paw against shikoba's wrist and daubed the sivullik's blood upon her brow. 

shikoba was filled with grief. moonwoman let out her breath. "give all of your tears in these songs. nine nights. on the third, if he returns, then he must prove he is alive. on the sixth night, if he returns, it is not him, it is a tupilak."

and by the ninth, inutsuk would go through the jaws of sedna.

her eyes were wet with tears. 

this was the last moment. then they must sing.

It did not feel right to return so suddenly, so calmly. But he feared that if he did not return soon, he would be forgotten. Too much time had passed. His family needed him... if they would even accept him back, that is.

After not seeing it for so long, the spine looked almost unrecognizable; but the scent of Shikoba was not. Despite the pain and exhaustion, he trudged onward into the territory, nose directly set upon the only place he wanted to be: in her embrace, and then to see his son.

It didn't take long to find her, his wife. She sat beneath the veil of a grand, red tree. Kukutux was there beside her. The two conversed in hushed whispers, and around them were various objects he knew nothing of. If not too distracted, Inutsuk would have wondered what the items were and what they were meant for. But he didn't care. Not now.

Approaching closer... closer, until he was in close sight of both. He was slow moving, shoulders sore from the constant travel with limited rest. Inutsuk could not stand to close his eyes. Each time he had, he saw them... Shikoba and Mojag. They were ghosts that haunted him, but yet, they were not ghosts. They called for him in each waking moment, but he refused them time and time again. He had known he couldn't return without fulfilling the purpose of his departure. Doing so would drive the guilt and shame further, leaving him with nothing. 

He was close enough, standing there just a short yard away. His body trembled, vocals tight. He needed them to know he was here, but he couldn't bring himself to bark, to howl, to speak... nothing would come. Please... see me, hear me. Silent plea's, sorrowful eyes blinking away at the dry, tearless ducts. Even man cried, and he had many times in the last month. The first of many times he had ever cried since the beginning of his existence. 

what I imagine is running through shikoba and kukutux's heads during this :D and also apologies for longer post, no need to match <3

Vermillion stains her legs, though the metallic liquid finds itself upon her head through the soft smudge of the Moon Woman's paw. Shikoba does not understand this ritual, as it was not something she had ever witnessed during her time in the desert. However, she trusted in the spiritual guidance of Kukutux and would not question the ritual.

She could feel a shiver down her spine at the mention of the tupilak, and for a moment, she thinks back to her time of acceptance into the Spine. How she promised she would strike down the heart of the red tupilak that scarred the visage of the matriarch; she wondered if she would have to do the same if Inutsuk came back on the 6th night.

With a solemn nod of the head, Shikoba reaches to brush her nose against the cheek of Kukutux for comfort, tears welling in her eyes. But before the woman can dare to utter the word, she senses the presence of another. The scent is nostalgic and it feels as if the night whispers to her a name she did not want to let go of.

She turns and sees him. A lone figure closely watching the two with a trembling body. The scent becomes stronger and it is no doubt her husband. His return, perhaps to most onlookers, should only bring happiness and joy to her heart. But Shikoba does not run to him.

She steps back in fear, ears flattened against her skull and tail curling behind her. Her breaths, as if she were hyperventilating, become erratic and panicked. Staying as close as she can to Kukutux, the woman looks to her jadeite eyes with flurry of emotions within her own.

yes! <3

kukutux would have said the words now, had not she turned to see him. inutsuk. and there was gladness in her heart, and fear, and more sorrow for the expression in shikoba's eyes. it was a sign of trust that firsthunter did not immediately move toward her husband.

moonwoman lifted her head. she stepped between the man-who-might-be-spirit and shikoba. her jadestone eyes were not hard but they were firm. she did not speak for a moment. she only looked upon him and saw all of what was gathered in his face. inutsuk seemed replete with agony.

"this woman would hear this man say his name out loud."

she did not motion shikoba forward. they must know first that he was not an evil spirit which had taken the face of inutsuk and now lurked upon their land.

Feel free to skip around Olo. He is just here is fight breaks out which likely, will not.

 

Aiolos had no intention of interrupting the ceremony which Kukutux had laid out to preform with Shikoba. Her mate had been gone for some time now, leaving her to raise their pup in these early times on her own. The same had happened to Lote and Aiolos was beginning to realize that absent fathers (including his own which he had never met) was far more likely then one who stayed. Was Aiolos one out of twenty...fifty? Kukutux would never have to worry of him leaving, not unless it meant his death. 

Aiolos only came to interrupt the tradition when the familiar scent of Inutsuk filled his nose and a tension laid heavy in the air. Kukutux is standing in front of the man now, questioning of who he truly was. 

Aiolos fills the lingering silence with a growl. His gaze hardened on Inutsuk. His approach is swift as he comes to stand close on the sidelines, ready to be of service should this man not entirely be who he was seen to be. Aiolos did not believe him to be a wrathful spirit, but he did remember the poor treatment Lote and her pups had been given when Adrastus returned. Would Inutsuk be the same? 

So sorry for the wait!

Rather than let excitement flood her features, fear overtook Shikoba's expression. Of course, Inutsuk did not expect such an immediate welcome, but it pained him nonetheless.

   "This woman would hear this man say his name out loud."

Again he struggled to bring words to his lips, but unlike last time, he forced them out with little hesitation. I-Inutsuk... a name g-given by Kukutux, moonwoman of Moonglow. He hoped that the last bit would fortify his chances of earning their belief. 

He waited in silence, wary that many eyes were now upon his ragged, shriveled frame. Inutsuk did his best to balance himself, keeping from toppling before his audience, but oh how difficult the task had become. The man longed to fall upon his side and let sleep take him. It was too soon. Not yet, the voice in his head repeated.

the sun man has come to aide his moon woman, as his rumbles lay a warning to her husband. but once his name is said, shikoba waits silently. a step forward is gingerly offered, though it does not cover much ground. her body language radiates caution, which is at least a step down from fear.

only the true inutsuk would know the meaning behind his name, wouldn't he? shikoba would at least like to think this, but she is also aware of how tactful the spirits are when it comes to their own trickery for profit. she waits with kukutux still, bleeding from her leg and from within her own heart. 

"can it really be inutsuk?" her voice is hushed as she looks at him closer, as he, at least from a distance, holds all of her husband's features.

so sorry!

aiolos was with them.

kukutux drew strength from sun man. 

inutsuk spoke his name. she stared at him for a long moment and then looked to shikoba. "he is living."

he was not dead.

but she must not trust.

"why have you come back to this village?" moonwoman asked, her tone respectful in case he lied and truly was a spirit.

"Can it really be Inutsuk?"

The query pained him. For his wife to be left unsure of his true presence was no enjoyable thing to endure.

It is.

Then Kukutux spoke. 

"Why have you come back to this village?"

Was it not obvious? What reason could he possibly not have for returning?

Then again, he was the fool that left.

Lifting his chin as high as he could bear, Inutsuk did his best to sound and appear confident with his answer. I have returned for Shikoba, the only woman I have ever and will ever love. For Mojag, a beautiful son given to us by the graces of the spirits. For my family, Moonglow. And for you, Kukutux... a woman who gave me life again when I feared all was lost.

Though now waiting for moonwoman to decide his truth, Inutsuk could not help but glue his eyes upon Shikoba. He'd seen her face so many times in his dreams, having never forgotten it. But now, to see it here... it mesmerized him, just as it had the day he chose to court her. He was falling in love all over again. 

the words he spoke linger in the air and tentatively wrap themselves around the heart of the warrior woman. she has longed for her husband and to press herself against him, for mojag to have his father again.

however, she also is aware that his disappearance of him has come with no answer. and despite his words, shikoba must force herself to trust moon woman above all else. she had pledged herself to Moonglow, and even for the love of a man, cannot turn her back on her word.

a pleading look to kukutux, hoping that her answer is something good, something positive. she shifts uncomfortably in her paws, tail swishing and swaying behind her. she has not felt this type of unease in a long time.

since inutsuk has gone inactive, up to u how u want to play this @Shikoba! <3

he spoke.

he spoke of many things.

he spoke of passion.

but kukutux saw silence in him. the shadow of other things.

she inhaled. "you must wait for nine days beyond the village. i must see that you will stay."

Inutsuk knew his name, a name given to him by Kukutux as a fresh start in Moonglow. Shikoba takes a single step forward and Aiolos stiffens more so, ready to stop her should she run to her mate. Kukutux is convinced of his livelihood but still questions his intentions which are then made clear.

After Kukutux' decree, Aiolos steps back and moves to stand close to his mate's side, allowing the other pair to reunite.

9 days. Kukutux wished that he would stay beyond the village for 9 days. Such was many, and they would be long. But it was a respectable request... one he would be obliged to fill. To know that Shikoba; his wife, Mojag; his son, Kukutux; his guide and truest form of council, and Moonglow as a whole; his home, would now that he was here to remain forever. Never again would he abandon those he cared for.

9 days will be long, more time keeping me from my loved, A regrettable and pained expression found Shikoba as he answered to the remedy of his return. But to do so will be worth the wait. I am here to stay. If to do this will prove my words, then I will do as you ask. He spoke to Kukutux now, offering a small nod of his head.

he speaks, agreeing that he will wait. perhaps this will be his test, upon the others that shikoba will demand from him. another bride price, an explanation, a pound of flesh -- her mind races a million things like a swarm in her ears. but in the end, she is willing for this.

she does not move but simply looks toward both sun man and moon woman. her expression warrants many emotions, but can be read as a combination of confusion, frustration, sadness, and yet somehow a bit of relief. there are many things that she will have to pick apart during these 9 days. every single strand of feeling will be pondered on and thoroughly questioned. 

she will undergo a metamorphosis, and either come out ready to accept her husband or to turn her nose away from him. 9 days will be a time of patience and testing. a final look to her husband is given before her ears airplane and she thinks of her need of sleep and the need for her son.

@Inutsuk i tried to message u but i think ur inbox is full, lmk what ur plans are, we can always BTS or have a backdated thread! <333

kukutux accepted.

nine days.

her eyes glowed toward inutsuk, or the spirit who wore his skin.

but she spoke no more.

beneath the blood and with her clan she turned away, and in the cage of her ribs her heart raced fast.

but was not the snow hunter.